The American Medical Association is developing a Web-based service offering doctors electronic prescribing, up-to-date reference material and other resources.
The idea is to make it easier for physicians to adopt technology President Obama is promoting for health care reform, to streamline their workload, and improve patient care.
The service is being pilot-tested, and will be offered to doctors nationwide early next year through a deal announced Wednesday with Compuware Corp.
Doctors will be able to use it to access numerous electronic medical services, including the latest science on diseases, and electronic health records, said Dr. Joseph Heyman, chairman of the AMA's board.
No details were released on cost or what AMA will charge for the service, but Heyman said AMA members will get a discount. One goal is to boost flagging membership; the AMA has about 240,000 members, roughly one-fourth of the nation's physicians.
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